##@@*%\«,¨                                          ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨                                          ¨¨,«\%*@@#
##@@*%\«,¨                                          ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨                                          ¨¨,«\%*@@#
##@@*%\«,¨                                          ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨             ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨             ¨¨,«\%*@@#
##@@*%\«,¨             THE ALVAR FIELDS             ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨             ***#@#@#@#@#@***             ¨¨,«\%*@@#
##@@*%\«,¨                                          ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨ FROM  NORTH   TO   SOUTH,   THIRTY   ODD ¨¨,«\%*@@#
##@@*%\«,¨ KILOMETERS.  FROM  WEST  TO  EAST,  FOUR ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨ THOUSAND METERS. FROM  TOPSOIL TO STONE, ¨¨,«\%*@@#
##@@*%\«,¨ A FOOT OR TWO. NO  ROOTS CAN  FESTER, NO ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨             DUST CAN LINGER.             ¨¨,«\%*@@#
##@@*%\«,¨                                          ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨ HERE  IS  EARTH,  CLAY,  AND STURDY  LOW ¨¨,«\%*@@#
##@@*%\«,¨ PLANTS.  BUSHES  FRAME  THE  STRIP.  THE ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨ EARTH  IS  BARE IN PATCHES  AS  LARGE AS ¨¨,«\%*@@#
##@@*%\«,¨               YOU AND ME.                ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨                                          ¨¨,«\%*@@#
##@@*%\«,¨ CROSS  IT TO GET TO THE  OCEAN, OR DON'T ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨          TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE.          ¨¨,«\%*@@#
##@@*%\«,¨                                          ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨                                          ¨¨,«\%*@@#
##@@*%\«,¨                                          ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨                                          ¨¨,«\%*@@#
##@@*%\«,¨                                          ¨,«\%*@@##
#@@*%\«,¨¨                                          ¨¨,«\%*@@#